Dispensing container closure



June 28, 1966 s. CHERBA 3,258,179

DISPENSING CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Feb. 12, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. 5nMuEL CHE/25A BY Mam QTTORNEY June 28, 1966 s. CHERBADISPENSING CONTAINER CLOSURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1964 FlG.3b

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Ill/l/l/l/l/Ill/llfl/l/l/l/Y/l A o r T8 E mm w m wm Z 5M 0 M. 5W w Y B f3 June 28, 1966 s. CHERBA DISPENSING CONTAINER CLOSURE M mm a m W W h 1V T 4 E NL-MT S 1 0. a w m m ll/I 2% Filed Feb. .12, 1964 June 28, 1966s, BA 3,258,179

DISPENSING CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Feb. 1.2, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 PLELE INVENTOR. 5nmu5z. CHERBR BY W 1a 0% ATTORNEY United States Patent 73,258,179 DISPENSING CONTAINER CLOSURE Samuel Cherba, 735 Totowa Road,Totowa, NJ. Filed Feb. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 344,273 12 Claims. (Cl.222-549) This invention relates to a dispensing container closure havinga container closure device in combination there'- with, to suchcontainer closure, to a method of making the container of suchcombination, and to a method of assembling a disclosed embodiment ofdispensing container with its closure.

The invention has among its objects the provision of an improved,simplified combination of a dispensing container and a closure devicetherefor.

A further object of the invention lies in the provsion of an improved,simplified dispensing closure adapted for use with dispensingcontainers.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novelmethod of making dispensing containers adapted for use with dispensingclosure devices of the invention.

Still a further object of the invention resides in the provision of animproved novel method of assembling one disclosed embodiment ofcontainer and dispensing closure device therefor.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention willmore fully appear from the following description when the same is readin connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expresselyunder stood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose ofillustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits ofthe invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in axial section through the neck of adispensing container provided with a first disclosed embodiment ofdispensing device, the cap member of the device being shown in fullyassembled condition upon the container neck and in open dispensingposition with respect thereto;

FIG. 1a is a view in transverse section through the neck of thecontained and the cap member thereon with the cap member in opendispensing position, the section being taken along the line 1ala in FIG.1;

FIG. 2 is a view partially in elevation and partially in axial sectionthrough the container and dispensing device of FIG. 1, the dispensingdevice in the central portion thereof being shown in phantom lines, thecap member of the dispensing device being shown in the act of beinginitially mounted upon the neck of the container;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to to FIG. 2 but with the cap member of thedispenser device being shown fully applied to the neck of the containerand the closure device being shown in closed position relative to thecontainer neck;

FIG. 3a is a view in transverse section through the dispensing containerand the cap member on the neck thereof, the cap member being shown inclosed position, the section being taken along the line 3a3a in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 3b, 3c, and 3d are developments of the container neck and theclosure member as such parts would be seen if the container neck werecut oif the container, the container neck and closure were cut along thevertical axial plane normal to the paper of FIG. 3 at the locationfurthest from the reader in such figures, and the resulting cutstructure were then unrolled. In FIGS. 3b3d the closure member is shownin the same position, the container neck being shown rotated relative tothe closure member in FIGS. 30 and 3d;

FIG. 3b corresponds to the closed position of the parts shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3c corresponds to the closure member-open posi- "ice tion of theparts shown in FIG. 1, the closure member being in its axially lowerposition with respect to the container neck, from which position theclosure mem ber cannot normally be unscrewed;

FIG. 3d corresponds to the closure member-open position of the partsshown in FIG. 4, the closure member being in its axially upper positionwith respect to the container neck, from which position the closuremember can be directly unscrewed;

FIG. 3e is a view in transverse vertical section through the developedcontainer neck and closure member, the section being taken along theline 3e3e of FIG. 30;

FIG. 3 is a view in transverse vertical section through the developedcontainer neck and closure member, the section being taken along theline 3f-3f of FIG. 3d;

In all of FIGS. 312-3), inclusive, parts of the closure member are shownin solid lines, parts of the container neck being shown in dash lines.

FIG. 4 is a view taken similarly to FIG. 3 but with the cap member ofthe dispensing closure device turned with respect to the neck of thecontainer to open the dispensing closure device, the cap being shownraised axially with respect to the container neck so that such cap maythen be removed from the container neck by being unscrewed therefrom;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in axial section of a portion of adispensing container at the neck thereof, a cap member of a dispensingclosure in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention shownassembled upon the container neck and in open dispensing position withrespect thereto;

FIG. 6 is a view partially in elevation and partially in axial sectionof the combination shown in FIG. 5, the cap member of the dispensingclosure having its central portion thereof shown in phantom lines, thecap member of the dispensing closure device being shown in the act ofbeing initially mounted upon the neck of a con tainer;

FIG. 7 is a view partially in elevation and partially in axial sectionof the neck of the container and the closure device therefor, the capmember of the closure device being shown fully applied to the containerneck and in closed position relative thereto;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but with the cap member of theclosure device turned with respect to the container neck to open theclosure device, the cap being shown raised axially with respect to thecontainer neck so as to permit the cap member to be removed from thecontainer neck by being unscrewed therefrom;

FIG. 9 is a somewhat schematic fragmentary View in axial section of ablow molding mold engaged in the preliminary shaping of a parison fromwhich one embodiment of dispensing container in accordance with theinvention is to be formed;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view partially in elevation and partially inaxial section through the container blank produced by the mold in FIG.9;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view of the product of the method illustratedin FIGS. 9 and 10, assembled with a cap member to form a dispensingclosure device;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view in axial section through the neck of afourth embodiment of combination of dispensing container and a capmember forming a dispensing closure device therewith;

FIG. 13 is a view in transverse section through the container neck andcap member of the closure device of FIG. 12, the section being takenalong the line 1313 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a view in plan of the upper edge of the neck of the containershown in FIGS. 12 and 13; and

FIG. 15 is a view in axial section through the cap member of thedispensing closure device shown in FIGS. 12,

3 l3, and 14, the section being taken along the line 1515 of FIG. 13.

As will be apparent from the above four embodiments of combinations of adispensing container with a closure device therefor in accordance withthe invention are dis closed herein. The first such embodiment is shownin FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive. The second embodiment is shown in FIGS. 5 to8, inclusive. FIGS 9 to 11, inclusive, illustrate a method by which adispensing container employed with the closure of either the first orsecond embodiments may be formed, and a third combination of adispensing container and a closure device therefor in accordance withthe invention. The fourth embodiment is shown in FIGS. 12 to 15,inclusive. All of the disclosed closure devices are of two-piececonstruction, the neck of the container constituting one of said pieces.All of the disclosed closure devices "are of the type wherein the deviceis selectively opened and closed by turning one piece of the closuredevice through a part of one turn with respect to the other piecethereof.

Turning now to the first disclosed embodiment of closure device inaccordance with the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive, thecontainer there shown is generally designated by the reference character10. Container 10 has an upstanding hollow neck 11 thereon which is shownintegrally connected to the body of the container. The lower portion ofthe neck has a circular cylindrical exterior surface designated 12, theneck tapering inwardly from the upper end of surface 12 in afrusto-conical portion 14 which is joined at its upper end to a radiallyoutwardly flanged portion 15. Although the container neck 11 is shown asan integral part of the container 10, it is to be understood that, ifdesired, it may be made separately from the body of the container andsubsequently sealed or otherwise connected thereto. As above set forth,the container neck 11 forms one part of a two-part closure device forthe container.

As shown, the neck 11 is provided at one Zone thereof with a verticallydisposed relatively narrow groove 16 in its inner surface. The groove 16extends from the upper end of the neck downwardly to an intermediateportion thereof, and terminates in an outwardly and downwardly slantinglower surface 17. The groove 16 forms one portion of a selectivelyopened and closed discharge passage through the dispensing device, theouter end of the groove 16 communicating with an opening through theupper end of the cap of the device. When the cap is turned to closedposition relative to the container neck, an imperforate portion of thetop of the cap then overlies the upper end of groove 16 and closes theclosure device (FIG. 3).

The neck 11 of container is provided with a helical rib projectingoutwardly of the surface 12 thereof, the rib constituting a thread 19which in the embodiment shown extends for somewhat less than two turnsabout the neck. Thread 19 has a tapering entering upper end 20 and alower end having an abrupt radially disposed end in the form of ashoulder 21. The thread 19 cooperates with thread on the inner surfaceof the skirt of the cap 22, to be described, in such manner that the capmay be applied to the neck by being turned with respect thereto, the capin its fully assembled position being shown in FIG. 3. Stop means 31 onthe cap then cooperates with the stop shoulder 21 on the neck 11 toprevent the reverse turning of the cap, when the latter is in its fullyassembled, lower position, past the point at which the closure device isopen. When, however, the cap is deliberately raised, it may be removedfrom the container neck by unscrewing it therefrom.

The cap 22 is generally in the form of an inverted cup having a top wall24, an outer skirt 25 depending from the outer edge thereof, and aninner skirt of generally circular cylindrical tubular shape coaxial withthe outer skirt and spaced radially inwardly therefrom. The inner skirt26 of the cap is adapted to be telescoped within the neck 11 of thecontainer, the outer circular cylindrical surface 27 of skirt 26 thensealingly engaging the circular cylindrical inner surface 29 of the neck11.

The outer skirt 25 of the cap is provided with thread 31? of the samehand and pitch as the thread 19 on the container neck. The widths of thelands of threads 19 and 31) are the same in the embodiment shown, suchwidths being substantially less than the width of the spaces between thelands of the respective threads, so as to provide a substantial axialclearance between the threads when they are engaged, as shown in FIG. 3.Such clearance is designated by the character Y. The skirt 25 of the capis provided adjacent the lower edge thereof with an inwardly projectingstop member or lug 31 which is angularly spaced somewhat from the lowerend of the continuous thread 30 on the cap. Lug 31 has an abruptshoulder 32 on its trailing end, shoulder 32 being adapted to cooperatewith the shoulder 21 on the lower end of thread 19 on the container neckto stop the cap, as above generally described, with the portions of thedispensing passage through the container neck and cap in communication.The lug 31 on the skirt 25 has a shape in cross section which isaccurately complementary to the shape of the groove 33 between the landsof the thread 19, the upper surface of lug 31 being disposed inalignment with the helix upon which the upper surface of the thread 30on the cap lies.

The dispensing passage through the closure device is formed in part bythe above described groove 16, 17 in the neck of the container and by agroove 34 having an upper slanting portion 35 located in one zone of theinner skirt 26 of the cap. When the cap is turned relative to thecontainer neck to lie as shown in FIG. 1 with respect thereto, thegrooves 16, 17 and 34, 35 are in alignment so that communication isafforded through the aligned grooves with the interior of the container.The upper end of such dispensing passage communicates with a hole 41which is disposed laterally oifset from the center of the neck and cap.In the embodiment shown, the cap 22 is formed with an initiallyclosed-ended spout 42 having a passage therein which is a prolongationof the hole 41. When the contents of the container are to be used, thespout 42 may be cut off at any desired location, such as along the lineA--A to open the spout.

Sealing between the cap and the container neck in all of their operativepositions is afforded by relatively tight contact between the outersurface 27 of the inner skirt 26 and the inner surface 29 of thecontainer neck into which the inner skirt is telescoped. Two furthersealing zones are provided between the container neck and the cap, suchfurther seals being particularly effective when the cap lies incontainer closing position. The first of such further seals is providedby an annular recess in the cap having a circular cylindrical side Wall36, surface 36 snugly engaging the similarly shaped surface 37 on theouter edge of the flange 15 on the container neck. The second suchfurther seal is provided between the upper fiat annular surface 39 ofthe container neck and an annular bead 40 which is molded integrallywith the cap and overlies and sealingly engages surface 39 when the capis fully engaged upon the container neck in closed position relativethereto.

The cap is assembled upon the container neck by being placed inalignment therewith and being advanced toward the neck so that the stoplug 31 on the cap first engages the thread 19 on the container neck. Thecap is then turned clockwise (as viewed from above) until the lug 31enters between the entering end 20 of thread 19 and the continuous landof the thread 19 positioned therebelow. Turning of the cap in the samedirection is then continued, the cap now being positively axiallypositioned with respect to the container neck by engagement of the lug31 in the groove between the lands of the thread 19; in such conditionthe upper surfaces of the threads 30 on the cap engage the lowersurfaces of the threads 19 on the container neck. The cap is thus heldunder such condition against any substantial axial movement with respectto the container neck unless the cap is turned relative thereto. When,however, the cap approaches its fully assembled position, the trailingend of the stop lug 31 will clear the shoulder 21 of the thread 19 onthe container neck. Further downward movement of the cap as it isfurther turned is then caused by the engagement between the lowersurfaces of thread 19 and the upper surfaces of thread 30, such threadspulling the cap downwardly into the position of FIG. 3 wherein surfaces36 and 37 are fully telescoped and the head 40 sealingly engages theupper surface 39 of the container neck.

When it is desired to dispense the contents of the container, the cap isretained in the axial position which it had in its fully assembled,closed position and is turned counterclockwise relative to the neck ofthe container so as to bring surface 32 of stop lug 31 into engagementwith the stop shoulder 21 on the bottom end of thread 19. The dispensingpassage through the closur is, as we have seen, now open. In such openposition of the closure, as shown in FIG. 1, the cap is free to rise ormove axially through the clearance distance Y with respect to thecontainer neck. The friction between the parts, particularly between theinner skirt of the cap and the inner surface of the container neck, issuch that normally the cap retains its fully applied axial positionunless it is deliberately pulled outwardly on the container neck. Thesurface 32 of the lug 31 and the shoulder'21 of thread 19 thus functionto stop the cap in its open, dispensing position, as well as effectivelyretaining the cap on the container neck during the normal operation ofthe closure device.

If, however, it is desired to remove the cap from the container neck,this may be readily accomplished. To remove the cap, the cap is turnedcounterclockwise and at the same time is lifted with respect to thecontainer neck. As a result, the lug 31 may be made to enter be tweenthe lands of thread 19 at the lower end thereof, so that continuedturning of the cap in a counterclockwise direction results in its beinglifted by reason of the interaction of lug 31 and thread 19, the capthus being eventually removed from the container neck.

In the embodiment shown and described the parts, including the stopmembers, are so constructed and arranged that the lug 31 will clear stopshoulder 21 completely upon the lifting of the cap at the beginning ofthe cap-removing operation. In other embodiments the parts may, however,be so constructed that the stop members will snap past each other at theend of the cap-applying operation. With such construction, the stopmembers continue partially to overlap when the cap is turned reverselyto place them in contact, even though the cap is then pulled axiallyoutwardly on the container neck. To remove the cap from the containerneck it is then necessary to apply considerable turning force to the capto distort one or both of the stop members to permit them to clear eachother so that unscrewing of the cap from the container neck cancommence.

The cap 22 of the closure device may be made of a variety of suitablmaterials, which may be either substantially rigid, when the neck of thecontainer is made of flexible resilient material, or somewhat flexiblein character. When the cap is made of resilient material such as adistortable plastic, the stop lug 31 may be made of such size and shapethat it and the portion of the container neck engaging it, including theportion of the neck including the groove between the lands of the thread19 are resiliently distorted as the lug 31 is screwed down the neck ofthe container. Thus, for example, the lug 31 may be made with a relaxedwidth which somewhat exceeds the width of the groove between the landsof thread 19. With such construction, when the cap is to be removed, itis first turned to the closure- 6 7 open position, following which thecap is raised axially on the neck of the container. The cap can then bean screwed only upon the application of considerable torque to thecontainer and cap to cause the lug 31 to enter the groov between thelands of thread 19. In general, at least one of the (1) container neckand (2) the cap will be made of flexible resilient material for thepurpose of securing a good seal therebetween. The container 10 may be,for example, a squeeze bottle made of polyethylene, the neck of thecontainer being made integral with its sidewall. When the container neckis thus made, the cap may be made of rigid material.

The embodiment of container and closure device therefor shown in FIGS. 5to 8, incl., is similar in many respects to the first embodiment thereofshown in FIGS. 1 to 4, incl., and described above. The parts in FIGS. 5to 8, incl., which are similar to those of FIGS. 1 to 4, incl., aredesignated by the same reference characters as those employed in thedescription of the first embodiment, but with an added prime.Consequently, there is no necessity for the further description of theparts of the container and closure device therefor in FIGS. 5 to 8,incl., which are also common to the combination of FIGS. 1 to 4, incl.

The device of FIGS. 5 to 8, incl., differs from that of FIGS. 1 to 4,incl., in the character of the stop means employed on the cap andcontainer neck of the closure device both normally to stop the cap, whenturned in the cap-removing direction, in the closure open position, andto retain the cap against inadvertent removal from the container. Suchstop means in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 8, incl., includes aplurality (three shown) of angularly spaced radially outwardly directedlugs 44 on the container neck 11 adjacent the base or root thereof.Cooperating with the lugs 44 in a manner to be described are threedepending stop lugs 45 aflixed to the lower edge of the outer skirt 25'of the cap 22. Lugs 44 and stop members 45 are spaced angularly throughequal angles about the axis of the respective members. Stop members 44and 45 pass each other when the cap member is advanced toward its fullyassembled position; the stop members interfere when the cap, in theaxial position shown in FIG. 5, is turned counterclockwise on thecontainer neck so as normally to stop the cap in a closure open positionas shown in FIG. 5. If the cap is raised axially along the neck of thecon-tainer, as shown in FIG. 7, continued turning in the same directionof the cap relative to the container neck causes the cap to be retractedaxially from the container neck so that it may be removed therefrom upondisengagement of the threads.

In the illustrative embodiment shown, the lugs 44 on the container neckhave abrupt ends 46 disposed remote from the tapered trailing end 47 ofthe thread 19' on the container neck. In such embodiment the uppersurface 49 of lug 44 is flat from its corner 50 at which it intersectsthe upper end of surface 46. The upper surface of lug 44 thereafterslants downwardly in a ramp 51 which faces but is separated from the end47 of thread 19'. 'Ihe corner 50 in the embodiment shown is located at alevel which is somewhat below the helix upon which the root of thetrailing end 47 of the thread 19 is located.

The stop members or lugs 45 on the cap 22' are in the form of radiallyoutwardly extending thickened portions of the lower edge 52 of the outerskirt 25' of the cap, the stop members having lower end surfaces 54,which in the embodiment shown are curved, the sides 55 of the members 45being straight and extending parallel to the axis of the cap above thecurved lower ends of such members. The radially inner surfaces ofmembers 45 lie generally in alignment with the bottoms of the groovesbetween the lands of the thread 30 on the cap 22'. It is to beunderstood that surfaces 54 of stop members 45 may be made with othersuitable shapes, if desired, such as flat and lie in a transverse plane.

Cap 22' is applied to the container neck 11' by being axially alignedtherewith and preliminarily telescoped thereof. Following this, the capis turned clockwise with respect to the container neck so that theleading end of the thread 30' on the cap enters into the groove 33between the lands of the thread 19'. As before, the groove betweensuccessive lands of both threads 19' and 30 has a width whichsubstantially exceeds the width of the threads themselves. Consequentlysubstantial axial play is present between the cap and the container neckduring the turning of the cap in the cap-assembling operation until thelower ends 54 of the stop members 45 contact the ramps 51 of therespective stop lugs 44. The parts may be so constructed that as members45 climb up the ramps 51 they thrust the upper surfaces of thread 30' onthe cap into forcible engagement with the lower surfaces of the thread19 on the container neck. The relationship of the parts in suchembodiment is such that one or both of each set of stop members 44 and45, depending upon the materials of which they are made, must beresiliently distorted before members 45 can travel across the surfaces49 of stop members 44. Upon passing the corners 50 of stop members 44,the members 45 drop downwardly along shoulder 46 so that the cap is nowfree to descend axially along the container neck 11' into the fullyassembled position thereof shown in FIG. 7.

When the closure device is in its closed position, the stop members 45will have travelled clockwise somewhat beyond the lugs 44. In suchposition the upper surfaces of thread 30 on the cap are in forciblecontact with the lower surfaces of the thread 19 on the container neck,so that the cap is then held forcibly downwardly on the container neckwith the annular sealing bead 40 of the cap in sealing contact with theupper surface 39' of the neck of the container. As before, the cap andcontainer neck have sealing engagement with each other at all times whenthey are operatively assembled by reason of the forcible telescopedconnection between the outer surface 27 of the inner skirt 26' of thecap and the inner surface 29' of the container neck. A further seal isalso afforded during normal operation of the device between the circularcylindrical outer surface 37' of flange 15 of the container neck and thesimilar surface 36' on the cap.

As stated, the closure device is opened by turning the capcounterclockwise relative to the container neck until the sides of thestop members 45 otact the shoulders 4-6 of the lugs 44. The frictionbetween the cap and the container neck is such that during normalopening and closing of the device the cap remains substantially in itsinner fully assembled position with respect to the container neck. If itshould be desired to remove the cap from the container neck, the cap ispulled axially outwardly with respect to the neck and is turndcounterclockwise. When the cap reaches its open position, substantialportions of members 44 and 45 still axially overlap. The yieldingcharacter of one or both of such members, however, permits them to besnapped past each other upon forcibly turning the cap in acounterclockwise direction. Once members 44 and 45 have cleared eachother, the lower surfaces of thread 30' operatively engage the uppersurface of thread 19'; thus continued turning of the cap in the samedirection causes the cap to be withdrawn axially from the containerneck.

In some instances it may be desired to form the stop members 44 and 45so that they may be freed from each other upon their reaching theclosure closing position, simply by pulling the cap axially outwardly ofthe container neck. To achieve this result, it is merely necessary tomake such stop members so that they do not overlap in an axial directionwhen the cap is pulled outwardly of the neck to take up the clearancebetween the threads proper on the cap and container neck.

The containers and 19 of the first two disclosed embodiments may beformed by a two-step method involving first molding the container neck,as by injection molding, and then blow molding the body of thecontainer. As above noted, the container and the neck therefor may beformed in a number of other manners, if desired. Thus the neck of thecontainer may be formed as a separate piece, following which the neck issealed to the separately formed body of the container. FIGS. 9 and 11,incl., illustrate somewhat diagrammatically a preferred method andapparatus by means of which a dispensing container having a modifiedneck construction may be formed in one blow molding operation, the neckthen being completed by simple operations such as cutting and reaming.The thus formed container, designated generally by the referencecharacter 57 in FIGS. 9 to 11, incl., may be employed with a cap such asthat of the above described first and second embodiments, and mayincorporate stop means which cooperate with stop means on the cap in thesame manner as in the twoprior disclosed embodiments. The cap and thestop means thereon disclosed in FIGS. 9 to 11, incl., are similar tothose of FIGS. 5 to 8, incl.

FIGS. 9, 10, and 11, illustrate the forming of the container, theredesignated 57. As shown in FIG. 9, there is employed a mold 59 which iscomposed of two opposed halves, 60 and 61, the constructions of whichare generally similar. Mold 59 functions to engage a parison 62 in theform of an extruded plastic tube at zones spaced longitudinally of thetube to press the walls of the tube together at the said zones andrender the included tube section air-tight. With the thus gripped tubesection still in plastic condition, air is injected into such closedtube section thereby causing it to expand and be pressed in an outwardlydirection into faithful contact with the interior wall of the mold. Thetwo mold halves 60 and 61 include cavities for forming a thread 19' uponthe neck 58 of the container, and an annular cavity disposed above thethread forming cavity for forming a sealing ring 64 on the neck of thecontainer. Mold half 60 in a location immediately above the cavity forforming sealing ring 64 is provided with an inwardly extendingprotuberance 65 so that upon blowing of the parison in the mold theplastic material at such location is given an in wardly dimpledformation '66. The mold halves 60 and 61 include angularly Spacedcavities therein disposed to form a plurality of stop lugs 44 thereon,such lugs being of the same configuration as the previously describedlugs 44 and cooperating with stop members 45 on the cap 72 in the samemanner as in the first disclosed embodiments.

After the plastic material of the container 57 and its neck 58 hascooled somewhat so as to be self-sustaining, the air pressure to theinterior of the thus formed hollow container blank is cut off and themold halves are separated to remove the blank therefrom. The thus formedcontainer blank is then cut off as by a saw 69 along a transverse cut BBintermediate length of the dimpled formation 66 in the container neck.Such operation is depicted in FIG. 10. The neck of the container is nowreamed by a tool 70 which enters the open end of the neck in an axialdirection, the reamer functioning to remove from the container neck allof the portion of dimpled formation 66 which projects inwardly from thecircular cylindrical inner main wall of the neck, as well as accuratelyto ream and size the passage through the neck. The resulting productthus has a generally circular cylindrical neck in the upper edge ofwhich at one zone thereof there is a vertically extending notch 67which, as more particularly shown in FIG. 11, cooperates with thevertical groove 71 disposed on the inner skirt of the cap 72 at oncelocation thereon to provide a dispersing passage therethrough when thecap is in open position.

As shown in FIG. 11, the annular sealingring 64 on the neck of thecontainer sealingly engages a circular cylindrical surface 73 on theinner surfaces of the outer skirt of the cap at all times while the capis operatively mounted on the container neck. The thus resulting sealingmeans 64, 73 is located above the cooperating threads on the containerneck and cap and thus prevent flow of the contents of the containerdownwardly onto such threads. A seal is also in effect, as before,between the ungrooved outer surface of the inner skirt of the cap andthe imperforate portion of the container neck at its upper end. Thus anadditional seal is provided between the cap and the container neck, suchseal being continuous when the cap is in closed position.

The fourth embodiment of container and dispensing closure therefor isshown in FIGS. 12 to 15, incl., wherein the container is generallydesignated by the reference character 74 and the cap therefor by thereference character 76. The container has an upstanding hollow neck 75over which the cap 76 is telescoped. The cap has a transverselyextending disc-like top portion 77, an outer skirt 79 depending from theouter edge of such top portion, and an inner skirt 8!) coaxial of theouter skirt and lying within and spaced from the outer skirt. As in thefirst two described embodiments, the upper edge portion of the containerneck and the inner skirt of the cap have cooperating vertically disposedgrooves 81 and 82, respectively, which when aligned form a dispensingpassage through the cap. The inner skirt 80 of the cap is provided withone groove 82. In FIG. 13 groove 82 is shown cooperating with a groove81 (there designated 81) in the inner surface of the upper end of thecontainer neck 75. When grooves 81 and 82 are in communication they arein alignment with a dispensing opening 84in the top portion 77 of thecap 76.

The cap of the present embodiment is retained upon the container neck byinterengaging annular ribs on the respective members, rather than byscrew-threaded engagement therebetween as in the container and cap combination of the above first three described embodiments. Such lastdescribed construction permits the cap and container neck to be somewhatshorter than those of the other described embodiments, and also permitsthe cap to be applied to the container neck by purely straight linerelative movement. Thus the container neck is provided with a generallyV-shaped annular rib 86 on its outer surface intermediate its length,and the skirt 79 of the cap is provided with a somewhat broader inwardlyprojecting generally V-shaped rib 85. The ribs 85 and 86 are so locatedupon the cap and container neck, respectively, that upon being snappedpast each other into the position of FIG. 13, the cap is forcibly heldin its fully mounted position. As before, either one or both of thecontainer neck and the cap are made of resilient plastic material, so asto permit the described snapping of the ribs 85 and 86 past each other.

Seals are provided, in this instance, at two locations between the capand the container neck. A first such seal is provided, as before,between the outer surface of the inner skirt 80 of the cap and the innersurface of the container neck 75. A second seal is provided by anannular V-shaped sealing rib 87 which is disposed on the radially outerlower surface of the top portion 77 of the cap so as to overlie theunbroken annular transverse surface on the upper end of the containerneck. The described engagement between the ribs 85 and 86 is such asconstantly to urge the lower edge of sealing ring 87 into forcibleengagement with the upper end of the container neck.

The container neck 75 and the cap 76 are provided with cooperating stopmembers whereby the cap may be turned through a limited angle in orderselectively to place the passage-forming grooves 82 and 81' in in andout communication with each other. Thus the outer surface of thecontainer neck at its upper end and above rib 86 is provided with aplurality of radially outwardly extending stop lugs 89 (four shown), andthe inner surface of the skirt 79 confronting such lugs 89 is providedwith a plurality of part-annular recesses 91 each of which receives itsrespective lug 89. Recesses 91 extend through angles 16 substantiallyexceeding the angular extents of lugs 89, whereby the cap may be turnedfrom the open position thereof, shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, to a closedposition wherein grooves 81' and 82 lie completely out of communicationwith each other.

As above noted, the cap 76 may be-mounted upon the container 74 bypurely straight-line relative movement. It is desirable, particularlywhen the container and cap combination is to be assembled by automaticmachinery, that no preliminary angular orientation of the cap relativeto the container neck be necessary. For this purpose, the container neck75 is provided with a plurality of additional grooves 81, such grooves81 with grooves 81' being equally angularly spaced about the axis of thecontainer neck and, with groove 81', being equal in number to the numberof lugs 89 and recesses 91. As shown more particularly in FIGS. 14 and15, the upper ends of the lugs 89 on the container neck are in the shapeof inverted VS 92, and the lower ends of the inwardly projectingportions 90 between successive recesses 91 on the cap are in the form ofupright Vs 94.

When an angularly unor-iented cap 76 is axially advanced toward thecontainer neck 75, the pointed lower edges 94 of portions 90 on theouter skirt thereof automatically turn the cap, if necessary, so thatportions 90 find their way downwardly between the lugs 89. The grooves81 of the container neck are in effect unused once the cap has beenmounted upon the neck. Grooves 81 are of limited angular extent; theirpresence does not disturb the first described sealing between the outersurface of the inner skirt of the cap above such grooves and theungrooved inner surface of the container neck. After the cap has beenmounted upon the container neck as above described, the cap may beturned clockwise (as viewed from above) to close the dispensing passagethrough the closure device before the container is filled. Such turningof the cap to closed position may be done automatically, as by meansfrictionally engaging and turning the cap on the containers as thecontainers approach a filling station.

Although only a limited number of embodiments of the invention have beenillustrated, herein, it is to be especially understood that variouschanges, such as in the relative dimensions of the parts, materialsused, and the like, as well as the suggested manner of use of theapparatus of the invention, may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention will now be apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing closure device for a container, said device having -afirst, tubular member and a second, sleevelike member mounted on thefirst member in telescoped relation with respect thereto, the secondmember being rotatable with respect to the first member about the axisof the first member, the two members having passage portions so disposedthat when said passage portions are aligned they are adapted to affordcommunication outwardly therethrough from the interior of the containerand that the closure device is closed when the first and second membersare turned to place said passage portions out of communication, thefirst and second members having interfitting threads thereon whereby themembers may be selectively assembled and disassembled upon turning themin reverse directions relative to each other, the threads havingsubstantial axial play during their initial and intermediate engagementwith each other during their assembly, means on the members which engageto stop the members in an inner terminal axial position relative to eachother, the members when fully assembled axially with respect to eachother being reciprocable a substantial distance axially relative to eachother upon turning of the members to loosen the engagement of thethreads thereon, and cooperating stop means on each of the two membershaving stop surfaces positioned to engage each other at the closure openposition when the members are fully telescoped inwardly with respect toeach other in order normally to prevent turning of the two members pasteach other in a closure opening direction past the open position of theclosure, the stop means being so constructed and arranged that the stopsurfaces thereof may pass each other whenthe members are pulledoutwardlly with respect to each other and turned in a member unscrewingdirection relatively to each other.

2. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the closureis in closure open position, the stop surfaces of the stop means atleast substantially clear each other axially after the members arepulled axially outwardly relative to each other.

3. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein when the closureis in closure open position the stop surfaces of the stop meanspartially overlap in an axial direction after the members are pulledoutwardly relatively to each other, and wherein at least one of the stopmeans is made of resiliently distortable material, whereby the threadsmay be engaged and the members disassembled upon further turning of themembers relative to each other in the same direction past the openposition of the closure device, the stop surfaces of the stop meanssnapping past each other in the initial portion of such further turning.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising means for sealing thefirst and second members to each other to prevent the escape of thecontents of the container therebetween.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container includes saidfirst tubular member mounted as a neck on the container, the closuredevice comprises a cap having a transverse cover portion spanning theouter end of the passage through the neck, and the sleeve-like member isin the form of a skirt attached to the cover portion of the cap.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container includes saidfirst tubular member mounted as a neck on the container, the closuredevice comprises a cap having a transverse cover portion spanning theouter end of the neck, the first recited sleeve-like member is in theform of a skirt attached to the cover portion of the cap and confrontingone peripheral side surface of the neck, and comprising a second skirtattached to the cover portion of the cap, and confronting the otherperipheral side surface of the neck.

7. A dispensing closure device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the threadon at least one of said members terminates at its inner end somewhatshort of the inner end of such member, and wherein the stop means onsaid one member comprises a stop lug disposed on said one memberangularly spaced from the inner end of the thread on such one member.

8. A dispensing closure device as claimed in claim 7, 55

9. A dispensing closure device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the stoplug on said one member is disposed generally in helical alignment withthe inner end of the thread on the one member.

10. A dispensing closure device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thethreads on the two members are of the same hand and pitch, the width ofthe lands of the threads is substantially less than the width of thegrooves between successive lands of the threads, the thread on at leastone of said members terminates at its inner end somewhat short of theinner end of such member, and wherein the stop means on said one membercomprises a stop lug disposed on said one member angularly spaced fromthe inner end of the thread on such one member, said stop lug beingadapted to fit into the groove between the lands of the thread on theother member.

11. A dispensing closure device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the stopmeans on the other member comprises an abrupt generally radiallydisposed shoulder at the inner end of the land forming the thread on thesaid other member.

12. A dispensing closure device as claimed in claim 11, wherein theupper surface of the stop lug is disposed in substantial helicalalignment with the upper surface of the land forming the thread on theother member, the stop lug being generally complementary to the groovebetween the lands of the thread on the other member and being adapted tointerfit with said groove, the stop lug substantially axiallyoverlapping the stop means on the other member when the two members arein their axially inward terminal position with respect to each other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,637,890 8/1927Baker 222-5l9 1,946,770 2/1934 Strongson 264138 1,975,878 10/1934Thomson 222521 2,112,125 3/1938 Von Bultzing Sloven 222519 X 2,621,83212/1952 Friedman 22252O 2,653,735 9/1953 Brinkman 222-520 2,742,202 4/1956 Dresden et a1 222541 2,763,895 9/1956 Iesersek 264138 2,849,166 8/1958 Eitzel 222-519 2,915,227 12/1959 Quint 222-519 2,969,896 1/1961Lerner 222-520 3,006,514 10/1961 Collins 222553 3,118,578 1/1964 Collins222548 3,125,260 3/1964 Dreps 222548 3,149,755 9/ 1964 Porter et a1.222-548 X EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Examiner.

W. SOBIN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A DISPENSING CLOSURE DEVICE FOR A CONTAINER, SAID DEVICE HAVING AFIRST, TUBULAR MEMBER AND A SECOND, SLEEVELIKE MEMBER MOUNTED ON THEFIRST MEMBER ABOUT IN TELESCOPED RELATION WITH RESPECT THERETO, THESECOND MEMBER BEING ROTATABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE FIRST MEMBERS ABOUTTHE AXIS OF THE FIRST MEMBER, THE TWO MEMBERS HAVING PASSAGE PORTIONS SODISPOSED THAT WHEN SAID PASSAGE PORTIONS ARE ALIGNED THEY ARE ADAPTED TOAFFORD COMMUNICATION OUTWARDLY THERETHROUGH FROM THE INTERIOR OF THECONTAINER AND THAT THE CLOSURE DEVICE IS CLOSED WHEN THE FIRST ANDSECOND MEMBERS ARE TURNED TO PLACE SAID PASSAGE PORTIONS OUT OFCOMMUNICATION, THE FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS HAVING INTERFITTING THREADSTHEREON WHEREBY THE MEMBERS MAY BE SELECTIVELY ASSEMBLED ANDDISASSEMBLED UPON TURNING THEM IN REVERSE DIRECTIONS RELATIVE TO EACHOTHER, THE THREADS HAVING SUBSTANTIAL AXIS PLAY DURING THEIR INITIAL ANDINTERMEDIATE ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER DURING THEIR ASSEMBLY, MEANS ONTHE MEMBERS WHICH ENGAGE TO STOP THE MEMBERS IN AN INNER TERMINAL AXIALPOSITION RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, THE MEMBERS WHEN FULLY ASSEMBLEDAXIALLY WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER BEING RECIPROCABLE A SUBSTANTIALDISTANCE AXIALLY RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER UPON TURNING OF THE MEMBERS TOLOOSEN THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE THREADS THEREON, AND COOPERATING STOP MEANSON EACH OF THE TWO MEMBERS HAVING STOP SURFACES POSITIONED TO ENGAGEEACH OTHER AT THE CLOSURE OPEN POSITION WHEN THE MEMBERS ARE FULLYTELESCOPED INWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER IN ORDER NORMALLY TOPREVENT TURNING OF THE TWO MEMBERS PAST EACH OTHER IN A CLOSURE OPENINGDIRECTION PAST THE OPEN POSITION OF THE CLOSURE, THE STOP MEANS BEING SOCONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED THAT THE STOP SURFACES THEREOF MAY PASS EACHOTHER WHEN THE MEMBERS ARE PULLED OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHERAND TURNED IN A MEMBER UNSCREWING DIRECTION RELATIVELY TO EACH OTHER.